The United States said Thursday it held “serious” talks with Russia
about Syria and renewed its call for a political transition after months
of disagreement over the bloodshed.

Wendy Sherman, the under secretary of state for political affairs,
“had very serious discussions” in Moscow with senior officials, the
State Department said in a statement, calling the talks “direct and
fulsome.”

Sherman explained US support for the decision to end a UN observer
mission, which was “intended to monitor a ceasefire that does not
exist.”

“The beginning of a political process is in the international community’s long-term interests,” she added.

Russia is the main supporter of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and
the United States has repeatedly urged Moscow to do more to end the
violence that activists say has claimed more than 23,000 lives in the
past 17 months.